Kingdom Hearts is a game that can appeal to a wide range of fans. It’s an action-adventure game with huge RPG elements. It also has deep ties to Final Fantasy as a lot of the most popular Final Fantasy heroes and villains make appearances in the game.
And that doesn’t even take into account all the various Disney franchises that are a part of the game, too. Because of this, it’s no surprise that the series is as popular as it is. There are so many installments that there’s really a Kingdom Hearts game for everyone. Here’s a list of other games that Kingdom Hearts fans would enjoy.
10 Darksiders
Darksiders might be a much more darker game than one featuring Disney characters, but Kingdom Hearts can get pretty dark, too. After all, the game’s about people losing their inner heart and turning to darkness.
Darksiders leans into this visceral approach by featuring Horsemen of the Apocalypse fighting demons and twisted angels. The dense story mythology will also appeal to Kingdom Hearts fans, and that doesn’t even take into account the wild action and adventure gameplay that has players entering brutal combat with crazy weapons and abilities.
9 Lies Of P
Kingdom Hearts can get pretty difficult at times, but its gameplay has nothing on Lies Of P. It’s a much darker game that’s harder to master, but there are still a lot of similarities between these two action and adventure games.
Kingdom Hearts may have a much more cartoony animation style, but its combat is very similar. Sora has to navigate multiple enemies at once while working his keyblade and magical abilities. Pinocchio in Lies Of P is very similar, especially when it comes to taking on the game’s hardest bosses.
8 Pokemon
In many ways, Pokemon stands in a league of its own. There aren’t many games out there that place that much emphasis on capturing creatures and using them to battle. Kingdom Hearts certainly doesn’t, but there’s still a whimsical nature to the franchise than many Pokemon fans can relate to.
Despite the dark story lines, Kingdom Hearts is more or less a wholesome story about young characters heading out into the world and trying to find their place in it, which is exactly what Pokemon accomplishes.
7 Bastion
Bastion is another game with a much different gameplay style than Kingdom Hearts. Although they are both action and adventure, Bastion has a much more indie feel to it with its top-down camera angle. However, both games have a soft art style and whimsical fantasy setting that can appeal to a wide fan base. Bastion fans enjoy traversing levels while taking out enemies, and there’s plenty of that in Kingdom Hearts. In fact, both games can allow players to fall into a nice rhythm without too much frustration.
6 Sea Of Stars
Despite having a lot of RPG elements, Kingdom Hearts is not primarily an RPG game the same way that Sea Of Stars is. Kingdom Hearts is unequivocally an action-adventure title that Sea Of Stars can’t relate to.
Still, both games have a very whimsical fantasy story about darkness and trying to cope with the evil around while still growing up and fulfilling one’s destiny. Both games have epic plots with heavy characterization that fans focused on great stories can enjoy regardless of genre.
5 Epic Mickey
Given the popularity of their characters and just how well-known they are around the world, it’s surprising that Disney doesn’t put out more games like Epic Mickey. After all, it’s strange that a list of games similar to Kingdom Hearts would only have one other Disney game on it.
But Epic Mickey is a bit of a standout. It was seen as an attempt by Disney to have Mickey abandon his wholesome side a little bit in favor of being a mischievous hero. It’s an interesting contrast with his Kingdom Hearts persona.
4 Dark Cloud
A lot of Kingdom Hearts fans enjoy the games because they try to think outside the box. They are not simple hack-and-slash clones but actual adventure games. The gameplay can get quite complex from one installment to the next and even features odd mini-games such as flying a gummy ship.
Dark Cloud and its sequel are games from the PlayStation RPG era, but they don’t just focus on the typical RPG elements. They have players build up communities in a unique manner that other games don’t touch upon. These original elements are things that Kingdom Hearts fans can appreciate.
3 Fable
Fable is the quintessential fantasy RPG experience. Between its three main installments, the game is all about building up a unique character and trying to navigate a fantasy world through one’s own choices and decisions.
Kingdom Hearts doesn’t have as much of a customizable experience, but both games rival each other in the levels of their fantasy setting. Obviously, Fable leans much more towards the traditional, but for fans of Kingdom Hearts who enjoy going to their favorite Disney worlds, the world of Fable can be something refreshing.
2 Legend Of Zelda
When it comes to pure-hearted fantasy adventures, it’s hard to find a franchise that has more appeal and reach than Legend Of Zelda. The great thing about this series is that every game is almost a completely new adventure with a different art style, story, and even characters.
Kingdom Hearts has an enormous amount of lore and mythology that fans love to dive into. If that’s the case, then there is plenty for them to enjoy about Legend Of Zelda. It’s an action-adventure series with combat that rivals some of Kingdom Hearts’ most vicious battles.
1 Final Fantasy
The feel and connection between Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy is obvious. Both games are pioneered by the same companies and have a lot in common. Of course, Kingdom Hearts has a very high RPG feel to it, and Final Fantasy is usually a leading franchise in the RPG genre.
In fact, fans constantly look towards it to see how the genre is trending. It also doesn’t hurt that a lot of popular Final Fantasy characters show up in Kingdom Hearts. So fans of Kingdom Hearts will see a lot of familiar faces.